


Like We Always Do

by nagi_schwarz



Series: Foxtrot [22]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, The Dollhouse - Fandom
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-03-13
Packaged: 2018-05-26 13:59:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6242158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagi_schwarz/pseuds/nagi_schwarz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the comment_fic prompt: Any sci-fi fandom, any +/ any, Searchin' for my lost singer from Mars. Evan Lorne confronts John Sheppard after having eavesdropped on his conversation with Anthony Ceccoli. Set Season 5.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like We Always Do

When Sheppard locked his door like that, there was nothing Evan could do to get in that didn't include getting Rodney or one of the other scientists to hack open the door for him, and the last thing Evan wanted was to alert anyone besides Rodney that something was amiss with the expedition's military commander.  
  
So Evan went to check on the marines sent to make sure Sergeant Ceccoli destroyed the imprint chair and the other Earth-based tech that Sheppard had ordered destroyed. Ceccoli was compliant with orders but said nothing till the job was done, and he didn't protest the marine escort back to his quarters. Once he was inside and under guard for the next twelve hours, Evan returned to his quarters for a power nap.  
  
He kept his radio on, asked Amelia in the control tower to let Sheppard have the night off, to report any strange incidents to him, and he closed his eyes.  
  
He woke when Amelia said the night shift was all clear so far, but in her scan of the city for any noise infractions, she'd heard music from a remote pier.  
  
"Music?" Evan asked. Were some of the marines throwing an illicit party or something?  
  
"Listen, sir." Amelia patched the sound through to him.  
  
Evan didn't recognize the voice, not at first, but he recognized the song, a man singing to the city who loved him, and then he realized. Sheppard.  
  
"Get me coordinates, please," he said.  
  
"Yes, sir. Do you need me to patch you through to the marines?"  
  
Evan swung himself up onto his feet. "No, I've got this. Thanks, Amelia." He didn't bother gearing up fully, but he had his side-arm just in case. Amelia sent him the coordinates, and he headed for the nearest transport. He chose to transport to a spot about one floor down from Sheppard's location so Sheppard would hear him coming.  
  
The easy guitar notes faltered only the tiniest bit when Evan's footsteps were loud enough to be heard from the balcony, but Sheppard kept on singing.  
  
Evan took off his radio and tucked it into a pocket. "Sir," he said.  
  
"I told you not to call me that." He kept playing, picking expertly at the strings.  
  
Evan took a deep breath. "Joe?"  
  
"Not exactly, not right now."  
  
"What should I call you, then?"  
  
"As much as I dislike it, probably the most useful thing to call me right now is Foxtrot."  
  
Evan sat down beside him cautiously, keeping in his own personal space bubble. "Okay."  
  
"Don't worry, Joe's not in love with you."  
  
"I wasn't worried about that."  
  
Sheppard cast him a sidelong look he couldn't read. "Are you afraid of me?"  
  
"I don't know enough to know whether I should be," Evan admitted.  
  
"Are you going to report me to Woolsey?"  
  
"That depends, Foxtrot," Evan said. "Are you a danger to Atlantis?"  
  
Sheppard closed his eyes and tipped his head back, a smile curving his lips. He looked calm and perfectly content for a just a moment. "No. I'd never hurt her. Or anyone here who isn't a threat to her."  
  
"Can you explain to me what's going on?"  
  
The contentment slid off Sheppard's face, and Evan wanted to kick himself, but as XO, he had a responsibility if his CO was compromised.  
  
"No - not yet," Sheppard said. "I – we – need time."  
  
Evan nodded. "Okay." Then he added, "I'm sorry I eavesdropped on you. I –"  
  
"You were doing what was best for the city, like you always do. Like we always do." Sheppard finished the song with a flourish and immediately transitioned into a new chord progression.  
  
Bowie. "Life on Mars".  
  
"I promise I'll explain," Sheppard said. "To all of you, so I only have to say it once. Ceccoli will probably have to help too. But for right now –"  
  
"For right now, sailors fighting in the dance hall?"  
  
"It's Joe's favorite song," Sheppard said. "He was mousy-haired as a kid."  
  
Evan peered at him. "Will Joe sing with me?"  
  
"Joe has an awful voice," Sheppard said.  
  
"That's okay. So do I."


End file.
